Awards

If you are looking for superior quality, speciality award winning tea. You have come to the right place.

Golden Leaf Awards 2017 (Australia)

Back for 2017 the Australian Tea Expo again hosted the Golden Leaf Awards. This year even bigger and better, a great testament to the development of the Australian tea market.

Wan Ling Tea House is proud to announce that all of our teas received
awards and out of the two major categories we entered, Oolong and Puer,
we were awarded Gold. For 2017, we extended our entries to include our new organic silver needle white tea, which are pleased to annouce won Silver.

Gary Goodyer of Wan Ling Tea House Australia said, "Considering
the increased competition this year from tea companies around and how many teas were submitted, these awards are a true testament to the Wan
Ling Tea House team's outstanding tea selection abilities. These awards truely signal our goal
of sourcing and sharing the best quality, exclusive tea to Australian and New Zealand tea lovers".

Wan Ling was very excited to receive the news of the awards. This year's entries covered teas from across her home province of Fujian, including white tea from the north, Bai Ya Qi Lan from the south and of course Tie Guan Yin from her home town of Anxi. Wan Ling said, "Speciality tea is becoming more and more widely understood around the world. These awards really show that Chinese teas are some of the best in the world and that the tea farmers really excel in their cultivation and production of different style teas. We look to sharing more tea with everyone.Well done to the Wan Ling Tea House Australia team for all their hard
work and efforts and congratulations to all the other entrants".

2017 Golden Leaf Award Entries

OG001
2017-5022
Cansai JiPin Yin Wan Autum 2015 - Gold

OG002
2017-7902 Bai
Ya Qi Lan Oolong - Gold

PH001
2017-8270 Lao
Man Er Sheng Puer 2013 - Silver

PH002
2017-2500 Lao
Man Er Shu Puer 2013 - Gold

W001
2017-5495
Organic Silver Needles - Silver

PH001
2017-8793 Ji
Di Ancient tea tree Sheng Puer - Bronze

Golden Leaf Awards 2015 (Australia)

2015 saw the inaugural Australian Tea Expo being held in Geelong, Victoria.

Wan Ling Tea House is proud to announce that all of our teas received awards and out of the two major categories we entered, Oolong and Puer, we were awarded the top prize for each. Furthermore our Sheng and Shu Puerh teas won the individual speciality sub-categories too.

Gary Goodyer of Wan Ling Tea House Australia said, "The wins are a signal we are on the right track to achieve our goal
of sourcing and sharing the best quality, exclusive tea".

Wan Ling was very excited to receive the news of the awards. Her home town Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea impressed the judges and received awards for the speciality sub-category for light Oolong tea, as well as the overall Oolong category. Wan Ling said, "it is fantastic news that our Fujian, Anxi Tie Guan Yin oolong tea has been acknowledged in Australia as an outstanding tea. From the growing, harvesting, production through to getting the tea to the customer, a lot of people put a lot of effort to making this simple leaf the best it can be. The Wan Ling Tea House team looks for bringing superb Chinese tea to more people in Australia over the coming years. A big thanks to the Wan Ling Tea House Australia team for all their hard work and efforts".

Great Taste Awards 2015

For 2015 Wan Ling Tea House decided to enter slightly more unusual teas. The team were a little apprehensive about how the judges would take to these, however great tea shines through. We entered our Bulang Mountain cooked Shu Puer, the superb value JiDi raw Sheng Puer and the new to the Tie Guan Yin range, 'Nong Xiang' Zheng Chao Guan Yin.

The two puers received single star awards and the Tie Guan Yin caught the judge's attention, scooping a two star award. The judge's commented that the Nong Xiang style Tie Guan Yin had an, "Excellent leaf. There's a good baked quality here. There are light,
gentle brassica notes alongside gentle sweetness. It's clean, rich and
full flavoured".

We are quite intrigued to know how the judging for the Sheng Puer was completed and whether the judges knew exactly what the tea was. At present the Great Taste Awards only have loose leaf tea categories for green tea and single estate tea. Our Sheng Puer was entered as a green tea. The judge's comments were, "Beautiful leaf. A little high fired, but rather intriguing".

Wan Ling was pleased with the outcome saying, "It is great that we can enter more unusual teas such as the Puers and the quality of the teas are acknowledged. So much of our work is educational and giving people the chance to try different teas that they may not have had the chance to try before. We hope these awards help raise the profile of Puer tea and help introduce them to a whole new audience".

Overall it was another fantastic year for Wan Ling Tea House, yet again it was a full house. All three of our entries received awards.

Looking to 2016 we look forward to pushing the envelop even further.

Great Taste Awards 2014

Four years of success.

Champion Teas. Top three star awards four years in a row. We are proud to announce that our speciality loose leaf teas have distinguished themselves again at the 2014 Great Taste Awards.

Wan Ling was especially pleased that her home region Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong secured another three star award. Wan Ling commented, "this year we decided to enter one of our traditional, classic style Tie Guan Yin teas. Although uncommon in the UK and Europe these teas are very popular in China. This tea is has been traditionally wood roasted to give it depth and warmth. The tea produces a deep yellow-golden liquor that is smooth on the tongue and almost honey like on the throat. We are so pleased that the judges enjoyed the tea and we are looking forward to a wider audience getting the chance to try this super style of Oolong tea from Eastern China".

With the seasonality of tea, each year's harvest produces significantly different outcomes. Wan Ling Tea House strives to select superb, small batch, single farm/mountain teas that capture the terroir of the local region. Maintaining this consistency year in year out involves dedication, time, travel, solid relationships and passion.

Wan Ling would like to thank the extended Wan Ling Tea House team and all the artisans that dedicate themselves to producing outstanding teas and tea wares. Together we look forward to bringing the world consistently top notch loose leaf teas.

The competition in 2013 was even more intense. 405 judges tasted and sampled over 9700 products from more than 2100 producer. The judging was spread over nearly two months, with the final 125 three star winners being re-assessed in order to select the lucky winners of the sort after golden folks, the winners of which are to be announced in September 2013.

Great Taste Awards 2012

Two years in a row

Following on from our tremendous 2011 showing at the Great Taste Awards, Wan Ling Tea House was back in 2012 for another successful year. From our three entries, we won three awards. Three out of Three!

Our competition grade Can Sai Ji Pin Guan Yin Wang lived up to it's name and secured a three star award. The superb
AA grade Green Tea Jasmine Pearls were the only tea in the Great Taste Awards blended loose tea category to receive the prestigious three star award. Judges comments on the Jasmine Green Tea included, "Beautifully rolled, well made and manufactured. A clean, wonderful tea with gently peachy flavours."

The final of our three awards was for the rare 2004 aged Bai Mu Dan White tea. Scooping the one star award for this tea is especially rewarding as it is relative new comer to the Wan Ling Tea House collection and a tea that is not widely available.

Great Taste Awards 2011

In our first time entry to the Guild of Fine Food'sGreat Taste Awards not only did Wan Ling Tea House's Hong Xin Te Chun Guan Yin Wang win the top three star award, the judges were so impressed that we also scooped the Speciality Importer award too.

The Guild of Fine Food and the Great Taste Awards are acknowledged as the UK's as the most trusted and recognised food and drink awards.

Great Taste Award Speciality Importer 2011 winner

For 2011, over 7400 products were judged over an intense two-month period. Before gold is awarded, a minimum of twelve experts, often 16, taste, discuss and agree. For two- or three-stars, up to 20 judges must unanimously agree an entry has achieved absolute perfection. Over 350 experts including key buyers, retailers, chefs and food writers blind tasted entries to ensure they are fairly and independently assessed. Every entry starts with 25 points and marks are deducted when faults are identified

It is a great achievement and goes some way to acknowledge the hard work that so many people have put in to help us build our dream and select the superb teas we stock. The selection process means that teas must meet a complex mix of criteria so we can bring excellent teas to our customers at price that is right, whilst supporting the artisan farmers and estates who in turn support entire communities. A big thank you the extended Wan Ling Tea House team and everyone else that has played a part.